October 9, 2007

Finishing and finishing

I just wrote this big huge post about how it was that the Kauni is driving me insane because I am knitting the whole thing twice, in increments and whammo....my blogging software quit and took the entry with it and now...I am re-writing the post about re-knitting. (Damn it all. I hate pathetic fallacy.) Perhaps it is just going to be that sort of day. Fine. Fine. Fine. I have a chocolate drawer. I know how to cope.

Back to the sweater. I love this sweater and I think it's going to be a treat when I'm done, whenever that is. I can't seem to knit it in a straight line. All parts are taking two tries. Cast on, don't get gauge, rip out and cast on again. Knit for a while, discover that you cast on the wrong number because you tried to get sassy with the sizing, cast on again. Knit for a while, miss a pattern row, rip back and re-knit. Decide a sleeve is too tight, rip back and re knit. It's batty, and it's simply not improving. Remember the last time I showed you a picture of the Kauni and proudly proclaimed how my strategy to get the sleeves the same colours had worked?

Kausleevesdont0910-1

Yeah. Look closely. Duh. (This is what happens when one is cocky.) Ripped a cuff, added a repeat, re-knit the ribbing.

Ksleevesmatch0910-1

Next up, neckband. Picked up the stitches, knit the neckband, realized I hadn't picked up the right number and who cares anyway because what was I thinking when I picked up that stitch dipping all the way down into the pattern?

Badkaunipick0910-1

Ripped it back, re-knit. Much better.

Gkaunipick0910-1

Cut the front steeks (luckily, there's only one way to get that done) and picked up the stitches for the button bands. Knit the button bands, realized that I hadn't picked up enough stitches and the thing was pulling in. Ripped back the button bands, re-knit them like the knitter of experience that I am.

Kaunbband0910-1

Turned my attention to the other button band (on which I picked up the right number, since the pain from the first button band was painfully fresh)

Pingkaunbband0910-1

and proceeded to knit seven of the worst looking buttonholes in the history of humanity.

Badbtholeskau0910-1

What are those? Is that any sort of elegant way to put a hole in a piece of knitting? They all suck that badly, though not at all consistantly.

Buttonholkaus0910

I have miraculously found a way to make seven different, yet equally horrific buttonholes. If I were another sort of woman than these buttonholes would be the first against the wall when the revolution came. As it is, I am going to dig up Sweaters From Camp and see if Meg Swansen can pull my arse out of the fire again. I do believe there is some discussion of how to do a buttonhole in corrugated ribbing in there somewhere. Before I do that however, I am going to spend a little quality time with my drum carder and the clean wool for Joe's Gansey. It's Tuesday during a finishing phase, I can scarcely ignore it.

PS. Jayme-the-wonder-publicist (who did get her socks and was photographed enjoying them at the office by a co-worker - see her holding my book? Once a publicist.....always a publicist.)

Jaymeinsocks0910

is, despite the bribe pictured above, going to phone me up and shriek (I got an email this morning in ALL CAPS) if I don't remember to tell you that I am speaking at the Borders in Marlton, New Jersey on Friday the 19th of October (that's the Friday before Rhinebeck) at 7:00 in the evening. (Please follow the link and RSVP if you are coming. ) Then, I'm doing the big author signing thing at Rhinebeck on the Sunday at 10: 00, when there will be me and Alison, Heather, Ann and Kay, Clara, Sharon, Kristin, Judith and Carol all be signing our books.
After that I'll be speaking at 1:00, in Jayme's continuing mission to have me give this speech to New Yorkers until they are so sick of it and me that they start spitting in my coffee. (Why, I ask you, can she not be obsessed with having me speak to
Mel?) Never mind. We'll have a grand time. How can we not? It's freakin' Rhinebeck - and, the featured breed is the Blue Faced Leicester. I love those guys.

PPS The Mystery Stole is blocking.

PPPS. I really hope my reward yarn comes today.

Posted by Stephanie at October 9, 2007 11:21 AM